[Info-vax] State of the OpenVMS hobbyist program?

[Arne Vajhøj]

On 11/21/2019 5:56 PM, Jan-Erik Söderholm wrote:
> Den 2019-11-21 kl. 23:43, skrev Arne Vajhøj:
>> On 11/21/2019 11:05 AM, Bill Gunshannon wrote:
>>> On 11/20/19 9:59 PM, Robert A. Brooks wrote:
>>>> On 11/20/2019 9:31 PM, Dave Froble wrote:
>>>>> Perhaps HPe will turn over to VSI all VMS stuff they have, 
>>>>> including the HP versions, which would include VAX and the hobbyist 
>>>>> program.
>>>>
>>>> We have the VAX sources, and could, if we wanted to, build
>>>> a VSI version of OpenVMS VAX.
>>>>
>>>> We are not going to do that.
>>>>
>>>> Period.  End of discussion.
>>>
>>> I can't believe anyone seriously expects a new or even a re-badged
>>> version of VMS for the VAX.  Just a license key to allow it and its
>>> layered product to continue to run.
>>
>> The reality seems to be that:
>> * VSI can not legally produce a license (commercial or hobbyist)
>>    for a non-VSI VMS version
>> * there is no business case for producing a VSI VMS VAX version
>> with the bottom line that VSI will not produce a hobbyist VMS VAX 
>> license.
> 
> The easy "solution" for anyone wanting to run VMS/VAX is to just get
> any of the old licenses "out there". Noone will ask any questions...

The two questions:
* is it legal?
* are there any risk of getting caught?
are two different questions.

I believe/hope that the first question still matters to the
vast majority of people.

Arne